Summary
Sonyis possibly developing a new version of the DualSense controller that would be capable of providing gameplay action hints by selectively lighting up its button faces, as revealed by some newly emerged patent documentation. While there’s no guarantee this solution will ever be commercialized, the underlying technology does promise tomake PlayStation gaming more accessibleshould it ever reach the market.
Released in late 2020 alongside the PlayStation 5, theDualSense offered a number of notable improvements compared to its DualShock 4 predecessorthat debuted with the PS4. Among other things, the current-generation controller introduced haptic feedback support and adaptive triggers, in addition to replacing DualShock 4’s microUSB port with a USB-C one.
A newly emerged controller patent fromSonyreveals that the gaming giant has recently been experimenting with a refined version of the DualSense gamepad that is capable of offering gameplay action hints by lighting up its button faces. The patent, secured on November 30, describes a predictive assistance solution that leverages a machine learning model in order to continuously monitor the player’s performance and determine when they might be in need of some help. Should it decide that the player is (about to be) stuck, the experimental system would draw their attention to the controller itself by lighting up its buttons, thus suggesting the next course of action.
Sony’s Controller Patent With Predictive AI Assistance Features
The button hints would also be spelled out on the controller’s touchpad, which would actually double as a display. This is not the firstpatent indicating that the DualSense 2 might feature a touchscreeninstead of a touchpad, as another such IP filing emerged online back in September. As for the concept at hand, the controller that it describes wouldn’t just be capable of lighting up its buttons, including its shoulder triggers, but also both of its analog sticks.
Dynamic Button Lights Aren’t an Unprecedented Idea in Gaming
Although the AI-powered mechanism that would determine when to utilize this hardware capability is a relative novelty, the idea of lighting up buttons to facilitate accessibility is far from unprecedented. For example, everymodern Razer gaming keyboardships with support for Razer Chroma Profiles, allowing both developers and players alike to put together unique color patterns that highlight mapped controls on a per-game basis.
The sole existence of this patent is far from a guarantee that the technology it describes will ever see the light of day. That’s doubly so given how the newly surfaced filing comes from Sony, one of the most prolific consumer electronics pioneers on the planet; according to a recentStatista study, Sony submitted almost 1,400 patents in 2022 alone, most of which aren’t expected to be commercialized anytime soon, if ever.
Sony PlayStation DualSense Controller
The Sony PlayStation Dualsense Wireless Controller represents the next generation of PlayStation gaming with its clean design, stylish RGB lighting, and high-performance specs. Designed for the PS5, this wireless PlayStation controller has advanced haptic feedback, triggers that adapt to each game, a built-in microphone, and a convenient headset jack.
